Hello Everyone,
This is the page to nominate a book for possible placement on the literature list. You must read the book before you nominate. Please state the basics of the book: author, title, and grade level that you think would be most appropriate for the book. Give a brief summary and a couple of reasons why you think the book would be good for our students. Please consider the rubric as you write your nomination. November 19 is the last day to nominate books.
Proposed Books, on the literature list, awaiting your approval:
Esperanza Rising (piloted in summer school)
by Pam Munoz Ryan
copyright 2000
208 pages Recommended Grade Level: 6th Genre: historical fiction Lexile: 750L Reading Level: 6.2 Awards: ALA Notable Children's Book 2001 and Pura Belpre Author Award 2002 Summary:
For 12 years, Esperanza has lived a life of wealth and privilege on her parents' ranch in Mexico. An unexpected tragedy leaves Esperanza and her mother homeless. They are forced to emigrate to California, where they must start a new life. Esperanza learns to quickly adapt to the harsh conditions that the Mexican farm workers must face in the labor camps of Southern California. Reasoning:
This would be an excellent book for our 6th graders because it is set during the labor-organizing era of the Great Depression, and it touches on the subjects of the Dust Bowl, social reform, Mexican Deportation Act, discrimination and prejudice to foreigners. Students will also see Esperanza overcome obstacles, such as, loss, poverty, separation, prejudice and humiliation. This would be a great book to use for character because of all the changes that Esperanzo goes through. And yes, there is a happy ending! Nomination By: Shauna Jarrett Esperanza Rising, Pam Munoz Ryan/ 6 th grade. Great book to study setting, characterization, and context clues (especially with the Spanish vocabulary). History connections and social issues will create good classroom discussions. Keith
Rumble Fish. S. E. Hinton. Being piloted in summer school. Interesting characters and literary devices. Lindsay, Kelly D., and Cheryl Rumble Fish
by S.E. Hinton
copyright 1975
135 pages Recommended Grade Level: 8th Genre: realistic fiction Reading Level: 4.1 Lexile: 680 Awards: ALA Notable Children’s Books 1995, Margaret A. Edwards Award 1988, A School Library Journal Best Book of the Year Summary:
Rusty-James comes into contact with an old friend, Steve, and Rusty-James finds himself reliving old memories that he has tried to suppress. These painful childhood memories of his life as a 14-year-old boy struggling to find his identity in the world are shaped by his relationships, or lack thereof, with an alcoholic father and his unpredictable brother, Motorcycle Boy. Without a proper parental figure, Rusty-James looks to Motorcycle Boy as a role model. However, Motorcycle Boy is a loner who recklessly wanders through life unconcerned about the destruction he leaves behind.Rusty-James lives in a world motivated by violence, constantly attempting to prove his worth to his peers through fighting. The book chronicles Rusty-James' experiences as he struggles with his identity and comes into conflict with others around him. Blinded by hero-worship of Motorcycle Boy and constant use of violence, Rusty-James finds himself in the middle of events that will change his life forever. Reasoning:
This novel would be ideal for eighth grade because its content matter deals with issues present in low socioeconomic homes, such as single parent homes, younger children raised by older siblings, substance abuse, neglect, and poverty. The novel also deals with issues such as relationships, honor, self-esteem, alienation, abandonment, gang violence, and hero-worship. While some of these issues are similar to those in The Outsiders, this novel offers the opportunity to address deeper issues that are more challenging for students. While the reading level is only 4.1, this would be an ideal book to teach in inclusion classes, but this novel could also be used in other classes because of the complex issues present in the novel. I taught this novel to incoming eighth and ninth graders in summer school, and the students absolutely loved it. The students could not put the novel down. I had to keep an eye on them because they kept reading ahead. We discussed some of the issues above and we also discussed Rusty-James as reliable narrator, the symbolism of a rumble fish, character motivation, figurative language, point of view, and conflict, to name a few. Between the accessible reading level, high interest, and various issues for discussion, I believe this novel would a great addition to the eighth grade novel list. Reviewed by: Lindsay Lenert Nominated by: Kelly Destadio, Lindsay Lenert, Cheryl Todd
Pictures of Hollis Woods
by Patricia Reilly Giff
copyright 2002
166 pages Recommended Grade Level: 6th Genre: realistic fiction Lexile: 650L Reading Level: 6.4 Awards: ALA Notable Children's Book 2003 and Newbery Honor 2003 Summary:
Hollis Woods is a troubled 12 year old orphan who has been in and out of foster homes for most of her life. During her stay with an elderly artist who needs her, Hollis remembers the only other time in her life she was happy with a foster family. As the elderly artist's health starts to decline, Hollis remembers what her life was like with the one family she thought really cared about her and the one time she felt like she was part of a family. Reasoning:
I really enjoyed reading this book and I believe that a lot of our students will be able to connect with Hollis immediately. Hollis is a strong female protagonist who has had to grow up too fast. I think this would be an excellent book to study plot, setting, characterization, and the social issues that come about. Plus, I feel that this is a very good realistic fiction novel in which we as a 6th grade group are lacking. Reviewed by: Shauna Jarrett Nominated by: Shauna Jarrett, Kim Sinewe, Tana Swartz
Fever
by Laurie Halse Anderson
copyright 2000
251 pages Recommended Grade Level: 6th Genre: historical fiction Lexile: 580L Reading Level: 5.0 Awards: ALA Notable Children's Book 2001 Summary:
During 1793, Matilda Cook is a 16 year old who becomes separated from her mother who becomes sick with yellow fever. Matilda is forced to cope and persevere through many hardships and learns to rely on herself when the yellow fever epidemic in Philadelphia breaks out. Reasoning:
This is a wonderful historical novel that touches on the history of the yellow fever epidemic in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. I liked that this novel touches on a historical aspect that we do not have any novels about. So for many of our students, this would be the first time they learn about yellow fever and how devastating it was to families and their survival. This would be great to teach characterization, plot and setting, vocabulary and context clues, and there is quite a bit of figurative language in it also. Fever, 1793 would be a wonderful discussion novel. Reviewed by: Shauna Jarrett Nominated by: Shauna Jarrett and Teresa Tripp
The Graveyard Book
by Neil Gaiman
copyright 2008
312 pages Recommended Grade Level: 6th Genre: fantasy Lexile: 820L Awards: ALA Notable Children's Book 2009, Newbery Medal 2009, Hugo Award for Best Novel 2009, and nominated for World Fantasy Award for Best Novel Summary:
Nobody Owens is a normal boy except for the fact that he is being raised and educated by ghosts who live in a graveyard. He also has a guardian who belongs to neither the living nor the dead. Bod goes on many dangerous adventures in the graveyard to face the ancient Indigo Man, an abandoned city of ghouls, and the mysterious Sleer. However, the most dangerous of all may be leaving the graveyard where the man Jack, who has already killed Bod's family, is waiting to finish his job. Reasoning: The Graveyard Book is a great fantasy book that will interest both boy and girl readers. Currently we have The Castle in the Attic and A Wrinkle in Time for 6th graders that falls into the fantasy genre. I believe that we are in need of a newer fantasy novel that will keep our students engaged, and I think this book will do that. Setting elements are very strong in this novel and provides very detailed sensory descriptions that would be ideal for the Marzano Instructional Strategy of Nonlinguistic Representation. Again, characterization is very strong in this novel with a male protagonist, figurative language, theme, mood and tone, and of course many examples of fantasy elements. Reviewed by: Shauna Jarrett Nominated by: Scott Naypauer and Shauna Jarrett
The Chocolate War
By Robert Cormier
Copyright 1975
271 pages Recommended Grade Level: 8th Honors Genre: Realistic Fiction Lexile: 820L Awards: ALA Best Book for Young Adults Summary:
Jerry Renault ponders the question on the poster in his locker: Do I dare disturb the universe? Refusing to sell chocolates in the annual Trinity school fund-raiser may not seem like a radical thing to do. But when Jerry challenges a secret school society called The Vigils, his defiant act turns into an all-out war. Now the only question is: Who will survive? Reasoning:
This is a great novel that will challenge the Honors students in both critical thinking and text analysis. Currently, we don't have many options of challenging texts that also keep the students' interests and I think The Chocolate War will do both of these. Since it's set in an all-boys school, I think it will help maintain the boys' interest. The book discusses everything from friendship to bullying to student-teacher relationships, which allows for Honors students to explore a deeper understanding through group discussion and literary analysis. This novel would be great to teach narration, characterization, theme and mood and tone, all concepts that Honors students should explore with higher-level thinking. There are some sexual references, but they are not overly explicit. Honors students should be able to handle it as the majority of the book is focused on the 'mob mentality'. Reviewed by: Kelly Destadio Nominated by: Kelly Destadio, Lindsay Lenert
A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier
By Ishmael Beah
Copyright 2007
240 pages Recommended Grade Level: 8th Honors Genre: Memoir, non-fiction Lexile: 920L Summary:
This book provides a firsthand account of the decade-long civil war in Sierra Leone and the ongoing plight of child soldiers.Beah was forced to run away from attacking rebels in Sierra Leone at the age of 12; he was then forever separated from his direct family. He wandered his war-filled country and was then forced to join an army unit, which brainwashed him into believing in only large guns, blood, and drugs. By thirteen, he had experienced incidents that most people don't have to deal with throughout their entire lives. Reasoning:
Our book list needs a good non-fiction text that will maintain student interests. This memoir is an excellent story about a child soldier that most of our students know nothing of. This is a great way to educate the students on other parts of the world and it's a firsthand account, which makes the writing even more powerful. I think our students will enjoy this book; there's many references to western pop culture and the writing is very manageable to understand. This would be a great book to incorporate cross-curriculum studies with. Reviewed by: Kelly Destadio Nominated by: Kelly Destadio, Lindsay Lenert
Claudette Colvin Twice Toward Justice
by Phillip Hoose
copyright 2009
121 pages Recommended Grade Level: 7-8 Genre: nonfiction Lexile: 1000 Awards: Newberry Honor, Robert Sibert Honor, National Book Winner, Excellence in Young Adult Nonfiction Finalist Award Summary:Three months before Rosa Parks, a young teenage girl refuses to give up her seat on a bus. She was arrested and historical documentation was created based on this incident. The book includes mixed-media references of actual archival records and documentation (i.e. photos, newspaper articles, arrest files, etc.). Claudette Colvin helped to spark the civil rights movements with her courage and determination.The book is based on actual interviews with Colvin and people who knew her in narrative form. Reasoning:
With the transition into Common Core for more ambitious student standards, Claudette Colvin's story meets the criteria for quality nonfiction. Hoose writes a complelling narrative that balances events of the civil rights movement with the personal crisis of a courageous you woman. A strong connection to the Social Studies content. Reviewed and nominated by: Sarah Wise
I Hadn’t Meant to Tell You This
By Jacqueline Woodson
Copyright 1994
114 pages Recommended Grade Level: 8th Genre: Realistic Fiction Lexile: 740L Awards: Coretta Scott King Honor Book; Margaret A. Edwards Award 2006 Summary: Marie is 12-year-old girl growing up in Chauncey, Ohio. Raised by her father in a mostly African-American area, Marie befriends Lena, a poor, white girl, who is also motherless. As their friendship grows, Lena tells Marie her secret of her father’s sexual abuse, and Marie struggles with an internal conflict – does she tell her secret or keep it?
This is a better, more detailed summary/review: http://chipak.tripod.com/id15.html Reasoning: The book deals with topics including racism, sexual abuse, depression, single-parent households, and friendship. I feel that many of the books on our list are not ones with which our students can make a connection. While this novel has female main characters, all students will be able to identify with the divide between middle and lower socioeconomic statuses. In addition, the novel takes place less than an hour away, in Chauncey, Ohio. The sexual abuse is not explicit, and the novel does not focus on specific acts. Instead, it addresses that sexual abuse is occurring, and the resulting effect it has upon a teenage girl. While this novel includes the “n” word, it is not used as a shock factor, but rather, it is used in a context in which characters are taught lessons about the word and why not to use it. I feel that all students could relate to this novel, and while it is short, it is thematically rich and provides the opportunity for deep discussion and higher-level thinking.
Take a look at this article that discusses self-censorship when choosing novels. This article specifically deals with the case of I Hadn't Meant to Tell You This.
Reviewed by: Lindsay Lenert Nominated by: Kelly Destadio, Lindsay Lenert, Jamie Miller
I Hadn’t Meant to Tell You This
By Jacqueline Woodson
Copyright 1994
114 pages Recommended Grade Level: 8th Genre: Realistic Fiction Lexile: 740L Awards: Coretta Scott King Honor Book; Margaret A. Edwards Award 2006 Summary:
Reasoning:
Reviewed by: Lindsay Lenert Nominated by: Kelly Destadio, Lindsay Lenert Hope Hope Was Here (piloted in summer school)
by Joan Bauer
Copyright 2002
192 pp. Grade Level Equivalent 5.7 Genre: Realistic Fiction Lexile: 710L Awards: 2001 Newbery Honor Book, ALA Notable Book Summary: Fourteen-year-old Tulip (who legally changed her name to Hope when she was 12), is being raised by her Aunt Addie due to her birth mother deserting her when she was a baby. Addie and Hope move often from place to place. Addie is a great short order cook and Hope is learning to be an excellent waitress and they must move to where there is work. Hope longs for love, a permanet home, and a father. After leaving their latest diner in New York they head to a small town in Wisconsin to work at the Welcome Stairways Diner. This is where they meet the warm-hearted owner, who he himself is battling cancer, and together they transform the diner into the most popular place to eat and visit. Over time Hope starts to become deeply affected by the town and its people. This story is filled with the ups of finding love and fulfillment and the downs of abandonment, illness, and corruption. In the end, Hope finds what she so desperately is looking for and the underlying message is clear, that the idea of hope is an integral part of human life.
Reasoning: The book deals with topics such as extended families raising children, change, relationships, and corruption. I feel that the students will be able to relate to the character of Hope because many of them deal with losing their parents and being raised by other family members. Also, constantly having to move from place to place because of relationship issues and low socioeconomic status. However, students can learn through the character of Hope that they don't have to stay at the place in life they are born into. That if they work hard and keep positive they can succeed in want they want to achieve. I think this book is a great story about how human will can conquer even the bleakest of situations. This book is appropriate in content and reading level for the grade level it's suggested.
Reviewed and Nominated by: Tana Swartz
Freak the Mighty
By: Rodman Philbrick
Copyright:1993
169 pages
Recommended for 6th grade Grade Equivalent:6.3 Lexile:1000 Genre:Realistic fiction Awards:A Judy Lopez Memorial Award Hnor Book, New York Charlotte Award Summary:
The novel's plot is circular. In the first two sentences, Max states, "I never had a brain until Freak came along and let me borrow his for awhile, and that's the truth. The Unvanquished Truth." But it is not until the novel's final page that we learn why and how Max wrote a book about the adventures of Freak the Mighty.
In the first chapter, we meet the cast of characters: learning disabled and very large Max, severely handicapped and incredibly intelligent Kevin, Gram, and appropriately named Grim, Max's grandfather. We learn that there is a Him in Max's life, someone his grandparents fear and someone Max resembles.
Max and Kevin had known each other in day care, but do not meet again until the summer before eighth grade, when Max, who is so big he is exploding out of his clothes, places Kevin, whose body is too small for his growing organs, on his shoulders and walks into a pond to outwit Tony D. and his punkster pals. From that moment, with Kevin providing the directions and Max the mobility and strength, they are know as Freak the Mighty. All summer they rescue fair maidens and slay dragons. Loretta, one of the maidens, turns out to be a friend of Kenny Kane, Max's father who is imprisoned for murdering Max's mother.
That Christmas, Kenny Kane, newly released from prison, kidnaps Max, and drags him bound and gagged to the basement of a burned-out building. Suddenly, Freak rolls down through a basement window holding a big blaster squirt gun he claims is filled with sulfuric acid. He squirts it in Kenny's eyes. Max puts Freak on his shoulders, and they run for their lives.
After the recapture of Killer Kane, life becomes quieter for both boys. On his birthday, Kevin suffers a seizure and is rushed to the hospital. He gives Max a blank book asking him to fill it up with their adventures. When Max learns the next day that Kevin has died, he lashes out at Kevin's doctor, but she explains that no surgery was ever possible and that Kevin knew it. At first Max hides from his friend's death in his room down under. Finally, after many months he begins to write the story of Freak the Mighty on the pages of the book Kevin had given him. Reasoning: This book deals with many topics important to our students today. It handles the issue of bullying, friendship, disabilities, and loyalty. It revolves around two strong male characters. I feel that in the sixth grade we are in need of books that follow male characters. It is a story that I feel many students can relate to, as the main characters are often bullied and are able to overcome the challenges presented by the bullies. It also deals with the loss of a character(Freak/Kevin) and ability to deal with that losss by the other character (Max). This novel also showcases the learning disabled Max becoming best friends with the super intelligent Kevin. I feel that the messages presented in this novel are appropriate and necessary for the sixth grade.
Reviewed by: Teresa Tripp
Savvy
By Ingrid Law
Copyright 2008
342 pages Recommended Grade Level: 6th grade Genre: fantasy Grade Equivalent: 6.0 Awards: ALA Notable 2009, Newbery Honor 2009 Summary:
The Beaumont family are an interesting group. When they turn 13, the receive special supernatural powers that they call their "savvy." Mibs, the daughter of the family, is about to turn 13 and eagerly awaits to see what her savvy will involve. With one brother who causes hurricanes and another who creates electricity, Mibs is expecting big things from her savvy. However, on the eve of her birthday her Poppa is in a terrible accident and the only thing Mibs is concerned with is finding a way to the hospital to see her Poppa. Reasoning:
This is a great fantasy novel that involves the elements of magic and powers. I feel that our students will be able to relate to the characters in this book, the children especially, as they try to find a way to "fit in" and also deal with family and friend issues, that many of our students struggle with as well. On a lighter note, the students will also enjoy the adventure that Mibs and the Beaumont kids take us on and the magical ride of their savvys. Reviewed by: Shauna Jarrett Nominated by: Shauna Jarrett, Tana Swartz
This is the page to nominate a book for possible placement on the literature list. You must read the book before you nominate. Please state the basics of the book: author, title, and grade level that you think would be most appropriate for the book. Give a brief summary and a couple of reasons why you think the book would be good for our students. Please consider the rubric as you write your nomination. November 19 is the last day to nominate books.
Proposed Books, on the literature list, awaiting your approval:
Esperanza Rising (piloted in summer school)
by Pam Munoz Ryan
copyright 2000
208 pages
Recommended Grade Level: 6th
Genre: historical fiction
Lexile: 750L
Reading Level: 6.2
Awards: ALA Notable Children's Book 2001 and Pura Belpre Author Award 2002
Summary:
For 12 years, Esperanza has lived a life of wealth and privilege on her parents' ranch in Mexico. An unexpected tragedy leaves Esperanza and her mother homeless. They are forced to emigrate to California, where they must start a new life. Esperanza learns to quickly adapt to the harsh conditions that the Mexican farm workers must face in the labor camps of Southern California.
Reasoning:
This would be an excellent book for our 6th graders because it is set during the labor-organizing era of the Great Depression, and it touches on the subjects of the Dust Bowl, social reform, Mexican Deportation Act, discrimination and prejudice to foreigners. Students will also see Esperanza overcome obstacles, such as, loss, poverty, separation, prejudice and humiliation. This would be a great book to use for character because of all the changes that Esperanzo goes through. And yes, there is a happy ending!
Nomination By: Shauna Jarrett
Esperanza Rising, Pam Munoz Ryan/ 6 th grade. Great book to study setting, characterization, and context clues (especially with the Spanish vocabulary). History connections and social issues will create good classroom discussions. Keith
Rumble Fish. S. E. Hinton. Being piloted in summer school. Interesting characters and literary devices. Lindsay, Kelly D., and Cheryl
Rumble Fish
by S.E. Hinton
copyright 1975
135 pages
Recommended Grade Level: 8th
Genre: realistic fiction
Reading Level: 4.1
Lexile: 680
Awards: ALA Notable Children’s Books 1995, Margaret A. Edwards Award 1988, A School Library Journal Best Book of the Year
Summary:
Rusty-James comes into contact with an old friend, Steve, and Rusty-James finds himself reliving old memories that he has tried to suppress. These painful childhood memories of his life as a 14-year-old boy struggling to find his identity in the world are shaped by his relationships, or lack thereof, with an alcoholic father and his unpredictable brother, Motorcycle Boy. Without a proper parental figure, Rusty-James looks to Motorcycle Boy as a role model. However, Motorcycle Boy is a loner who recklessly wanders through life unconcerned about the destruction he leaves behind.Rusty-James lives in a world motivated by violence, constantly attempting to prove his worth to his peers through fighting. The book chronicles Rusty-James' experiences as he struggles with his identity and comes into conflict with others around him. Blinded by hero-worship of Motorcycle Boy and constant use of violence, Rusty-James finds himself in the middle of events that will change his life forever.
Reasoning:
This novel would be ideal for eighth grade because its content matter deals with issues present in low socioeconomic homes, such as single parent homes, younger children raised by older siblings, substance abuse, neglect, and poverty. The novel also deals with issues such as relationships, honor, self-esteem, alienation, abandonment, gang violence, and hero-worship. While some of these issues are similar to those in The Outsiders, this novel offers the opportunity to address deeper issues that are more challenging for students. While the reading level is only 4.1, this would be an ideal book to teach in inclusion classes, but this novel could also be used in other classes because of the complex issues present in the novel. I taught this novel to incoming eighth and ninth graders in summer school, and the students absolutely loved it. The students could not put the novel down. I had to keep an eye on them because they kept reading ahead. We discussed some of the issues above and we also discussed Rusty-James as reliable narrator, the symbolism of a rumble fish, character motivation, figurative language, point of view, and conflict, to name a few. Between the accessible reading level, high interest, and various issues for discussion, I believe this novel would a great addition to the eighth grade novel list.
Reviewed by: Lindsay Lenert
Nominated by: Kelly Destadio, Lindsay Lenert, Cheryl Todd
Pictures of Hollis Woods
by Patricia Reilly Giff
copyright 2002
166 pages
Recommended Grade Level: 6th
Genre: realistic fiction
Lexile: 650L
Reading Level: 6.4
Awards: ALA Notable Children's Book 2003 and Newbery Honor 2003
Summary:
Hollis Woods is a troubled 12 year old orphan who has been in and out of foster homes for most of her life. During her stay with an elderly artist who needs her, Hollis remembers the only other time in her life she was happy with a foster family. As the elderly artist's health starts to decline, Hollis remembers what her life was like with the one family she thought really cared about her and the one time she felt like she was part of a family.
Reasoning:
I really enjoyed reading this book and I believe that a lot of our students will be able to connect with Hollis immediately. Hollis is a strong female protagonist who has had to grow up too fast. I think this would be an excellent book to study plot, setting, characterization, and the social issues that come about. Plus, I feel that this is a very good realistic fiction novel in which we as a 6th grade group are lacking.
Reviewed by: Shauna Jarrett
Nominated by: Shauna Jarrett, Kim Sinewe, Tana Swartz
Fever
by Laurie Halse Anderson
copyright 2000
251 pages
Recommended Grade Level: 6th
Genre: historical fiction
Lexile: 580L
Reading Level: 5.0
Awards: ALA Notable Children's Book 2001
Summary:
During 1793, Matilda Cook is a 16 year old who becomes separated from her mother who becomes sick with yellow fever. Matilda is forced to cope and persevere through many hardships and learns to rely on herself when the yellow fever epidemic in Philadelphia breaks out.
Reasoning:
This is a wonderful historical novel that touches on the history of the yellow fever epidemic in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. I liked that this novel touches on a historical aspect that we do not have any novels about. So for many of our students, this would be the first time they learn about yellow fever and how devastating it was to families and their survival. This would be great to teach characterization, plot and setting, vocabulary and context clues, and there is quite a bit of figurative language in it also. Fever, 1793 would be a wonderful discussion novel.
Reviewed by: Shauna Jarrett
Nominated by: Shauna Jarrett and Teresa Tripp
The Graveyard Book
by Neil Gaiman
copyright 2008
312 pages
Recommended Grade Level: 6th
Genre: fantasy
Lexile: 820L
Awards: ALA Notable Children's Book 2009, Newbery Medal 2009, Hugo Award for Best Novel 2009, and nominated for World Fantasy Award for Best Novel
Summary:
Nobody Owens is a normal boy except for the fact that he is being raised and educated by ghosts who live in a graveyard. He also has a guardian who belongs to neither the living nor the dead. Bod goes on many dangerous adventures in the graveyard to face the ancient Indigo Man, an abandoned city of ghouls, and the mysterious Sleer. However, the most dangerous of all may be leaving the graveyard where the man Jack, who has already killed Bod's family, is waiting to finish his job.
Reasoning:
The Graveyard Book is a great fantasy book that will interest both boy and girl readers. Currently we have The Castle in the Attic and A Wrinkle in Time for 6th graders that falls into the fantasy genre. I believe that we are in need of a newer fantasy novel that will keep our students engaged, and I think this book will do that. Setting elements are very strong in this novel and provides very detailed sensory descriptions that would be ideal for the Marzano Instructional Strategy of Nonlinguistic Representation. Again, characterization is very strong in this novel with a male protagonist, figurative language, theme, mood and tone, and of course many examples of fantasy elements.
Reviewed by: Shauna Jarrett
Nominated by: Scott Naypauer and Shauna Jarrett
The Chocolate War
By Robert Cormier
Copyright 1975
271 pages
Recommended Grade Level: 8th Honors
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Lexile: 820L
Awards: ALA Best Book for Young Adults
Summary:
Jerry Renault ponders the question on the poster in his locker: Do I dare disturb the universe? Refusing to sell chocolates in the annual Trinity school fund-raiser may not seem like a radical thing to do. But when Jerry challenges a secret school society called The Vigils, his defiant act turns into an all-out war. Now the only question is: Who will survive?
Reasoning:
This is a great novel that will challenge the Honors students in both critical thinking and text analysis. Currently, we don't have many options of challenging texts that also keep the students' interests and I think The Chocolate War will do both of these. Since it's set in an all-boys school, I think it will help maintain the boys' interest. The book discusses everything from friendship to bullying to student-teacher relationships, which allows for Honors students to explore a deeper understanding through group discussion and literary analysis. This novel would be great to teach narration, characterization, theme and mood and tone, all concepts that Honors students should explore with higher-level thinking. There are some sexual references, but they are not overly explicit. Honors students should be able to handle it as the majority of the book is focused on the 'mob mentality'.
Reviewed by: Kelly Destadio
Nominated by: Kelly Destadio, Lindsay Lenert
A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier
By Ishmael Beah
Copyright 2007
240 pages
Recommended Grade Level: 8th Honors
Genre: Memoir, non-fiction
Lexile: 920L
Summary:
This book provides a firsthand account of the decade-long civil war in Sierra Leone and the ongoing plight of child soldiers.Beah was forced to run away from attacking rebels in Sierra Leone at the age of 12; he was then forever separated from his direct family. He wandered his war-filled country and was then forced to join an army unit, which brainwashed him into believing in only large guns, blood, and drugs. By thirteen, he had experienced incidents that most people don't have to deal with throughout their entire lives.
Reasoning:
Our book list needs a good non-fiction text that will maintain student interests. This memoir is an excellent story about a child soldier that most of our students know nothing of. This is a great way to educate the students on other parts of the world and it's a firsthand account, which makes the writing even more powerful. I think our students will enjoy this book; there's many references to western pop culture and the writing is very manageable to understand. This would be a great book to incorporate cross-curriculum studies with.
Reviewed by: Kelly Destadio
Nominated by: Kelly Destadio, Lindsay Lenert
Claudette Colvin Twice Toward Justice
by Phillip Hoose
copyright 2009
121 pages
Recommended Grade Level: 7-8
Genre: nonfiction
Lexile: 1000
Awards: Newberry Honor, Robert Sibert Honor, National Book Winner, Excellence in Young Adult Nonfiction Finalist Award
Summary:Three months before Rosa Parks, a young teenage girl refuses to give up her seat on a bus. She was arrested and historical documentation was created based on this incident. The book includes mixed-media references of actual archival records and documentation (i.e. photos, newspaper articles, arrest files, etc.). Claudette Colvin helped to spark the civil rights movements with her courage and determination.The book is based on actual interviews with Colvin and people who knew her in narrative form.
Reasoning:
With the transition into Common Core for more ambitious student standards, Claudette Colvin's story meets the criteria for quality nonfiction. Hoose writes a complelling narrative that balances events of the civil rights movement with the personal crisis of a courageous you woman. A strong connection to the Social Studies content.
Reviewed and nominated by: Sarah Wise
I Hadn’t Meant to Tell You This
By Jacqueline Woodson
Copyright 1994
114 pages
Recommended Grade Level: 8th
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Lexile: 740L
Awards: Coretta Scott King Honor Book; Margaret A. Edwards Award 2006
Summary: Marie is 12-year-old girl growing up in Chauncey, Ohio. Raised by her father in a mostly African-American area, Marie befriends Lena, a poor, white girl, who is also motherless. As their friendship grows, Lena tells Marie her secret of her father’s sexual abuse, and Marie struggles with an internal conflict – does she tell her secret or keep it?
This is a better, more detailed summary/review: http://chipak.tripod.com/id15.html
Reasoning: The book deals with topics including racism, sexual abuse, depression, single-parent households, and friendship. I feel that many of the books on our list are not ones with which our students can make a connection. While this novel has female main characters, all students will be able to identify with the divide between middle and lower socioeconomic statuses. In addition, the novel takes place less than an hour away, in Chauncey, Ohio. The sexual abuse is not explicit, and the novel does not focus on specific acts. Instead, it addresses that sexual abuse is occurring, and the resulting effect it has upon a teenage girl. While this novel includes the “n” word, it is not used as a shock factor, but rather, it is used in a context in which characters are taught lessons about the word and why not to use it. I feel that all students could relate to this novel, and while it is short, it is thematically rich and provides the opportunity for deep discussion and higher-level thinking.
Take a look at this article that discusses self-censorship when choosing novels. This article specifically deals with the case of I Hadn't Meant to Tell You This.
Reviewed by: Lindsay Lenert
Nominated by: Kelly Destadio, Lindsay Lenert, Jamie Miller
I Hadn’t Meant to Tell You This
By Jacqueline Woodson
Copyright 1994
114 pages
Recommended Grade Level: 8th
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Lexile: 740L
Awards: Coretta Scott King Honor Book; Margaret A. Edwards Award 2006
Summary:
Reasoning:
Reviewed by: Lindsay Lenert
Nominated by: Kelly Destadio, Lindsay Lenert
Hope
Hope Was Here (piloted in summer school)
by Joan Bauer
Copyright 2002
192 pp.
Grade Level Equivalent 5.7
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Lexile: 710L
Awards: 2001 Newbery Honor Book, ALA Notable Book
Summary: Fourteen-year-old Tulip (who legally changed her name to Hope when she was 12), is being raised by her Aunt Addie due to her birth mother deserting her when she was a baby. Addie and Hope move often from place to place. Addie is a great short order cook and Hope is learning to be an excellent waitress and they must move to where there is work. Hope longs for love, a permanet home, and a father. After leaving their latest diner in New York they head to a small town in Wisconsin to work at the Welcome Stairways Diner. This is where they meet the warm-hearted owner, who he himself is battling cancer, and together they transform the diner into the most popular place to eat and visit. Over time Hope starts to become deeply affected by the town and its people. This story is filled with the ups of finding love and fulfillment and the downs of abandonment, illness, and corruption. In the end, Hope finds what she so desperately is looking for and the underlying message is clear, that the idea of hope is an integral part of human life.
Reasoning: The book deals with topics such as extended families raising children, change, relationships, and corruption. I feel that the students will be able to relate to the character of Hope because many of them deal with losing their parents and being raised by other family members. Also, constantly having to move from place to place because of relationship issues and low socioeconomic status. However, students can learn through the character of Hope that they don't have to stay at the place in life they are born into. That if they work hard and keep positive they can succeed in want they want to achieve. I think this book is a great story about how human will can conquer even the bleakest of situations. This book is appropriate in content and reading level for the grade level it's suggested.
Reviewed and Nominated by: Tana Swartz
Freak the Mighty
By: Rodman Philbrick
Copyright:1993
169 pages
Recommended for 6th grade
Grade Equivalent:6.3
Lexile:1000
Genre:Realistic fiction
Awards:A Judy Lopez Memorial Award Hnor Book, New York Charlotte Award
Summary:
The novel's plot is circular. In the first two sentences, Max states, "I never had a brain until Freak came along and let me borrow his for awhile, and that's the truth. The Unvanquished Truth." But it is not until the novel's final page that we learn why and how Max wrote a book about the adventures of Freak the Mighty.
In the first chapter, we meet the cast of characters: learning disabled and very large Max, severely handicapped and incredibly intelligent Kevin, Gram, and appropriately named Grim, Max's grandfather. We learn that there is a Him in Max's life, someone his grandparents fear and someone Max resembles.
Max and Kevin had known each other in day care, but do not meet again until the summer before eighth grade, when Max, who is so big he is exploding out of his clothes, places Kevin, whose body is too small for his growing organs, on his shoulders and walks into a pond to outwit Tony D. and his punkster pals. From that moment, with Kevin providing the directions and Max the mobility and strength, they are know as Freak the Mighty. All summer they rescue fair maidens and slay dragons. Loretta, one of the maidens, turns out to be a friend of Kenny Kane, Max's father who is imprisoned for murdering Max's mother.
That Christmas, Kenny Kane, newly released from prison, kidnaps Max, and drags him bound and gagged to the basement of a burned-out building. Suddenly, Freak rolls down through a basement window holding a big blaster squirt gun he claims is filled with sulfuric acid. He squirts it in Kenny's eyes. Max puts Freak on his shoulders, and they run for their lives.
After the recapture of Killer Kane, life becomes quieter for both boys. On his birthday, Kevin suffers a seizure and is rushed to the hospital. He gives Max a blank book asking him to fill it up with their adventures. When Max learns the next day that Kevin has died, he lashes out at Kevin's doctor, but she explains that no surgery was ever possible and that Kevin knew it. At first Max hides from his friend's death in his room down under. Finally, after many months he begins to write the story of Freak the Mighty on the pages of the book Kevin had given him.
Reasoning: This book deals with many topics important to our students today. It handles the issue of bullying, friendship, disabilities, and loyalty. It revolves around two strong male characters. I feel that in the sixth grade we are in need of books that follow male characters. It is a story that I feel many students can relate to, as the main characters are often bullied and are able to overcome the challenges presented by the bullies. It also deals with the loss of a character(Freak/Kevin) and ability to deal with that losss by the other character (Max). This novel also showcases the learning disabled Max becoming best friends with the super intelligent Kevin. I feel that the messages presented in this novel are appropriate and necessary for the sixth grade.
Reviewed by: Teresa Tripp
Savvy
By Ingrid Law
Copyright 2008
342 pages
Recommended Grade Level: 6th grade
Genre: fantasy
Grade Equivalent: 6.0
Awards: ALA Notable 2009, Newbery Honor 2009
Summary:
The Beaumont family are an interesting group. When they turn 13, the receive special supernatural powers that they call their "savvy." Mibs, the daughter of the family, is about to turn 13 and eagerly awaits to see what her savvy will involve. With one brother who causes hurricanes and another who creates electricity, Mibs is expecting big things from her savvy. However, on the eve of her birthday her Poppa is in a terrible accident and the only thing Mibs is concerned with is finding a way to the hospital to see her Poppa.
Reasoning:
This is a great fantasy novel that involves the elements of magic and powers. I feel that our students will be able to relate to the characters in this book, the children especially, as they try to find a way to "fit in" and also deal with family and friend issues, that many of our students struggle with as well. On a lighter note, the students will also enjoy the adventure that Mibs and the Beaumont kids take us on and the magical ride of their savvys.
Reviewed by: Shauna Jarrett
Nominated by: Shauna Jarrett, Tana Swartz